Patience, my dear Doctor
by RiverPond20
Summary: It's a short story about a night in Stormcage between River and the Doctor


This takes place somewhere between the beginning of the second half of series 7, after the Bells of Saint John but before the Name of the Doctor.

It's just a short story about the Doctor and River's relationship.

* * *

A bright light flashed outside her small barred window that was soon followed by a clap of thunder. "Stormy at Stormcage" she laughed, he voice echoing throughout the cold concrete building, it made her realise that she was all alone. She lay on her bed counting the seconds between the lightning and the thunder. For a few brief moments she could have sworn she heard the familiar wheezing noise she loved so much. She bolted upright, eyes wide, hoping that it wasn't a trick of her imagination like it had been so many times before. She was very still for a few moments but heard nothing at all. "Wishful thinking" she sighed as she lay back onto the bed.

"Sometimes wishes do come true" He was standing outside her cell.

She stood up with the shock, her hearts pounding.

"Hello, Honey, I'm home" He said with a smug smile.

She truly missed him but she was also unbelievably angry with him "What time do you call this?! Hmm? The last time I saw you, you promised me you'd drop in once a week!"-

His smile fell. "How long has it been?" he was walking on eggshells.

"6 weeks!" She marched towards him "Not to mention that also, thanks to _your_ last visit, the very few privileges that I had have all been taken away! I have half a mind to ring you by the neck!"

"Well, I don't remember you complaining! I wanted to go back to the TARDIS, take you somewhere special, but you had your dress on the floor before I could even sonic the lock on your cell! No wonder the cavalry arrived, with all your screaming, honestly! I still have the scratches down my back for goodness sake!"

"If they see you're here again"-

"Don't worry. I've learnt my lesson, I soniced their security systems, locked all the doors on this side, I even found a tape of you from last night I was able to change the date on. According to that lot, you're sleeping soundly - dreaming about me, probably, and you, right now, you are trying your hardest to stay angry with me to hide that face"

"What face?"

"Why are you hiding it?"

"Doctor, what face?"

"The 'he's hot when he's clever' face" he was unbelievably smug. He could see her trying not to smile "I knew it!" He smirked and tweaked his bow-tie.

"Oh, shut up" She sat back onto her bed and held her head in her hands. He had upset her. He took his sonic screwdriver from his jacked pocked and soniced the lock on her cell door. It swung open and in he stepped closing it behind him. He stood in front of her; she was trying her best to let him see her crying.

"River" his voice was filled with concern. He sat on the bed next to her and stroked her back. "I'm sorry I didn't visit, truly, I meant to, I want to spend all the time I can with you. You're my wife, the only woman in the universe who can handle the oncoming storm, and I've neglected you, Doctor Song" He took one of her hands and kissed it.

"I thought you were in trouble, dead, even! Or worse, alone" She admitted as she pulled herself together. He wiped a stray tear off her cheek "Shh. I'm not in trouble, well, not right now anyway, I'm not dead either" He placed her hand on his chest between his two hearts "See! And I'm traveling with someone, again, not right now, she wanted to see her family or watch the football or whatever humans do when they go home for a while, I think it requires sitting for long periods of time" His hands waving franticly

"What's she like?" River asked with a recovering smile.

"Almost as clever and nowhere near as stubborn as you" He smiled. It made her laugh. "Clara Oswald. There's something special about her" he stared off into space for a moment. He shook his head and came out of his thoughts "but it's nowhere near as important as spending time with you. So, Mrs Doctor Song, where in all of time and space do you want to go?" He stood up holding his arms out in that 'TA-DA!' pose he loved to do. She thought for a moment. She thought of something that he had never done before, something that would put his love for her to the ultimate test, it was so perfect that she began to giggle.

"Oh you're thinking of something good!" He jumped with excitement.

"It's good alright" She giggled

"Don't tell me, you want to skate on the ice fields of Guldar 6! OR you want to toast marshmallows on the Volcano Planet! OR you want to Dance the night away in the first class ballroom of the Titanic! Whichever Titanic is totally your choice" His mind was racing with ideas

"It's something a bit closer to home I'm afraid"

"Oh" He stood there confused "What could possibly be closer to home than the volcano planet!?"

"Do you want me to tell you?" she cocked an eyebrow playfully

"Please"

Alright, Sweetie; I want"-

"Yes"

"To fall asleep"-

"What?"

"Silly Doctor. Let me finish!"

He sat back on the bed next to her with a huff.

"I would like to, simply, fall asleep in your arms, right here, and when I wake up in the morning I want you to still be here" she looked at him. You'd swear she asked him to do something impossible. He was in a state of shock. "Sweetie? Are you alright?"

"I don't know" He replied without taking his eyes off the opposite wall

"It's not like I'm asking you to go to the ends of the universe!"

"The ends of the universe?! River, I could go to the end of the universe without a second thought! What you're asking is near impossible!"

"Are you implying that it's impossible to lie next to your wife? You always spout on about spending time with me and now that I ask for it it's suddenly impossible! Why does it always have to be on your terms?!"

"River, I love you more than anything in all the galaxies"-

"Then prove it!"

"What you're asking requires patience"

She scoffed "And you don't have any patience?"

"No! Mad man with a time traveling box! I never have to wait!"

"Well, there's a first time for everything!" She stood up and made her way over to the bars on her cell. Her arms were folded and she had her back to him.

He sighed and made his way over to her. "I'm sorry, River" He wasn't quite sure whether to touch her or not; she had a tendency to slap him quite hard at times like this, but decided to throw caution to the wind as he wrapped his arms around her waist "If it means this much to you, I'll stay" He kissed her cheek before he let go. He threw off his jacket, loosened his bow-tie and undid his top button.

She took a few deep breaths and turned around to face him. He was untying his boots. She smiled softly at him as if to 'say thank you'. He smiled in return to say 'you're welcome' before he jumped onto the bed. The mattress springs squeaked under his weight as he tried to make himself comfortable. She climbed in next to him and pulled on the covers before placing her head on his chest. Her curls tickled his face. His arm underneath her swooped round to cradle her back as he placed his other ram under his own head. She dropped the covers and laid her arm over his stomach.

She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could feel his two hearts beating in her ear. The steady rhythm made it easy to drift off.

"River?" He broke the silence

"Yes, Sweetie" She mumbled

"Can I ask one thing about my future?"

"Spoilers, Sweetie, I can't"-

"I know but this isn't about dates or times or places or even people, unless you count you and I"

"What's the question?" she was still half asleep

"River, are we… _happy_?"

She smiled "Darling, we may argue like Daleks and Cybermen, but that doesn't mean we're unhappy. But to answer your question, yes, we are very happy"

"Good. I'm happy right now" he stated before he kissed her forehead.

"As am I" She smiled and finally fell into a deep sleep.


End file.
